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Does no one but me actually use Microsoft Office? I hadn't realized I was missing the boat.
You have to pay for it nowadays, I think. So, a lot of people are just running Libre Office and Open Office, since they're free and do everything Windows Office does. Libre just doesn't play well on non-Linux machines, I think because Microsoft REALLY hates the Linux programs (I run Ubuntu on a seven year old laptop and my machine is faster than any new laptop running Windows 8), since they're faster, more stable and are FREE.
Edit: Kirth, the reason you've used Office in three jobs is because most companies just get Windows because they know just about everyone has used it at one time or another and it saves money in training. Most computer people don't use Windows or run a partitioned hard drive with a Windows shell so they can use sites with Silverlight and whatever soundcloud/Spotify uses for DRM.
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run a partitioned hard drive with a Windows shell so they can use sites with Silverlight and whatever soundcloud/Spotify uses for DRM.
Or have a drive for x64 games.
=P
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I made PDFs of the Kirthfinder files so if anyone wants those PM your email to me.
Not exactly sure how to fix Paragnostic Disciple's table. My current "fix" was to remove it entirely and just have it sit by itself in a file so you can clearly see it's contents.
Kirth how'd you split the latter end of Domain feats into 4 columns? I can't seem to shift it back to 2.
UPDATE:
I was able to "fix" the section by making the feats prior to Paragnostic Disciple into one column. The latter feats defaulted to 2 columns when I did that.
It looks a little funky but the Domain feats are easier to read now.
I have a question regarding favoured class bonuses for hybrid races that do not include any information under "typical classes". Do these hybrids not receive any special favoured class bonuses, or do they get to select favoured class bonuses from one or both of their parent races?
For unusual and powerful hybrids: I wanted the options to be there, but did not want to actively encourage people to play them. So they get no special favored class stuff. People still play them anyway, but not everyone does, so it keeps them somewhat unusual, which they're supposed to be.
Also, I'm not sure if it is deliberately missing or not, but there does not seem to be a cover page for Chapter 3 in the word documents sent out. I'm guessing it is for the Classes, but the documents appear to just jump directly in with the Barbarian without any preamble.
Correct; since each class is a separate file, I never bothered with a cover page.
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OK, thinking about firearms, I had an idea.
What if we made an evocation spell (Chapter 7) and called it, for lack of a better name right now, bullet. The spell would consist of ray of frost (0) + Reach Spell (Close to Medium; +1 level) + Versatile Evocation (force; +1 level) + Energy Admixture Evocation (piercing; +0 levels) = 2nd level spell.
Now we make, in essence, a wand of bullet: [2nd level spell x CL 3rd x 900 (command-activated) x 0.5 (limited ammunition capacity) = 2,700 numen. If you pack multiple clips, use the personal inventory rules in Chapter 6.
You have a weapon that can be fired once per round as a ranged touch attack for 3d6 damage (half piercing, half force); the ranged touch thing simulates the main draw of firearms in Pathfinder. This is a basic pistol. The cost puts it just within reach for a 3rd level character, but we could add some sort of jam/misfire mechanic with contingent-based pricing to lower the cost.
Now imagine that we add the Ray Splitting feat to the base spell, making it 3rd level and giving you two attacks per round at 4d6 damage each. Slap a +1 enhancement bonus to attacks on it to simulate Masterwork manufacturing standards, and you have a Glock 17.
Obviously, for a longer-range rifle, you could simply increase the spell level adjustment for the Reach Spell feat. For higher-velocity or heavier-caliber guns, simply increase the caster level. For a scattergun, apply the Shape Spell feat to the base spell. For a ray gun, replace the piercing damage with fire damage. Etc.
FYI, for the people in the 2nd mailing who were unable to retrieve any attachments, I just tried again, starting with a new email instead of a forward -- hopefully this will work.
The first. Just don't choose Kirth himself.
OK, thinking about firearms, I had an idea.
What if we made an evocation spell (Chapter 7) and called it, for lack of a better name right now, bullet. The spell would consist of ray of frost (0) + Reach Spell (Close to Medium; +1 level) + Versatile Evocation (force; +1 level) + Energy Admixture Evocation (piercing; +0 levels) = 2nd level spell.
Now we make, in essence, a wand of bullet: [2nd level spell x CL 3rd x 900 (command-activated) x 0.5 (limited ammunition capacity) = 2,700 numen. If you pack multiple clips, use the personal inventory rules in Chapter 6.
You have a weapon that can be fired once per round as a ranged touch attack for 3d6 damage (half piercing, half force); the ranged touch thing simulates the main draw of firearms in Pathfinder. This is a basic pistol. The cost puts it just within reach for a 3rd level character, but we could add some sort of jam/misfire mechanic with contingent-based pricing to lower the cost.
Now imagine that we add the Ray Splitting feat to the base spell, making it 3rd level and giving you two attacks per round at 4d6 damage each. Slap a +1 enhancement bonus to attacks on it to simulate Masterwork manufacturing standards, and you have a Glock 17.
Funny part is, I've been working on a character who uses Eldritch Blast and Innate Metamagic (Evocation, Versatile) to simulate Samus Aran's arm cannon from the Metroid: Prime games.
Monk scaling Sutras, as well as plethora of bonus feats has been negatively received from my group (except perhaps the Monk). Therefore, I have cut many of the sutras in half when scaling to Superior and Sublime. An ability purchased should not be as good as an inherit ability.
To make up for the scaling effect, sutras should be gained every 4 levels after the 2nd, not every two; in other words, at 3rd, 7th, etc. (odd levels when the scaling does not occur). I'd meant to change this and somehow missed it; consider it an official erratum. Likewise, as Timeless Body is an advanced sutra, it should not appear on the Monk table.
The text for the sutra ability should be amended as follows:
"At 1st level, you receive knowledge of a sutra, a form of ascetic mastery. You gain an additional sutra at 3rd level, and every 4 class levels thereafter. Sutras are described in Appendix A. Most have effects that scale with your class level, representing steps along your path to self-perfection; improvements occur at levels 5th (Improved Sutra), 9th (Greater Sutra), 13th (Superior Sutra), and 17th (Sublime Sutra), as listed for each sutra. Class synergy effects that apply to the level at which your sutras operate apply towards these improvements."
This and other errata for the final mailing are posted under this avatar.
What's the point in making something like this instead of just creating a weapon the follows the normal weapon rules?
I initially started with a repeating hand crossbow and stacked on spring steel material (for increased damage), etc. By the time I got to something halfway reasonable, the cost was a lot higher than what I posted.
I don't subscribe to the "water balloon" school of weapons rules. If one weapon follows the normal weapon rules but is 10x better than other weapons following the same rules, I consider that a flaw, not a feature.
The #1 most frequent question I get is about monsters. So I picked what I hope will be an illustrative example: the thorciasid from the 3.5 edition System Reference Document. Only I'm not going to just grab his stats from there, add an intuition save, and run an encounter. Instead, I'm going to build him from the ground up so that you can see where monsters come from -- if I need a powerful monster, I usually pick a thematic example and buff it as needed.
So, to make a thorciasid -- essentially a giant, intelligent life-eating cockroach -- I'm going to start with a giant hissing cockroach from the Bestiary 2, a Medium cockroach with CR 1, 2 HD.
The final product:
Awakened, advanced fiendish hissing cockroach
NE Medium magical beast [augmented vermin]
Init +12; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +33
Aura hiss 30 ft. (as Staredown)
Languages Common
AC 35, touch 31, flat-footed 20
(+8 Dex, +7 dodge, +6 insight, +4 natural)
hp 322 (28 HD; LW 161/HW 80); DR 10/good
Resist cold 15, fire 15; SR 17
Saves Fort +17, Ref +16, Int +10, Will +14
Weaknesses light sensitivity
Spd 60 ft., climb 30 ft., fly 40 ft.
Melee 2 claws +32 (1d6+14 plus DC 28 Fort or 1d6 Str, Dex, and Con damage), and antennae +32 touch (10d6 vampiric touch plus 1 negative level; DC 21)
Ranged web
Base Atk +21; CMB +34; CMD 50
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 28th)
1/day—temporal stasis (DC 24, check +18; manifests as cocoon over victim)
3/day—Fell Draining vampiric touch (DC 21),
At will-alter self, web (DC 18, check +30)
Continuous—haste
Attributes Str 20, Dex 26, Con 25, Int 22, Wis 15, Cha 22
Skills Acrobatics (18/+26), Athletics (18/+26; climb +32), Bluff (28/+34), Concentration (28/+34), Diplomacy (14/+20), Fly (0/+8), Escape Artist (28/+39), Perception (28/+33), Perform (acting) (20/+26), Stealth (28/+39), Survival (14/+16)
Feats Agility Training, Canny Defense, Crippling Strike, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Innate Metamagic (quicken vampiric touch), Magical Talent and Magical Array (1st-?, 2nd-alter self, 3rd-web, 4th-5th-? 6th--Fell draining vampiric touch, 7th-?, 8th-temporal stasis, 9th-?), Permanent Spell (haste), Spring Attack, Staredown, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (claw)
On the whole, I end up with slightly lower AC, hp, and saves, but the CR is 6 lower than the one listed in the SRD. Also note that I haven't spent any of his numen yet; using that to bump his Con and natural armor and give him resistance would bring me very close to the SRD version, if that's what I wanted. (I also have a couple more SLAs to assign, for that matter.)
---
I wouldn't do this with every monster, obviously, but if I were designing an adventure around a nest of these things, I'd for sure go through an exercise similar to this one to stat out my primary villains and some variants -- not to try and emulate something else, but to build a memorable series of encounters, even if the critters end up different from the ones in the rulebooks.
P.S. I'm sure there are errors in the above; it's something I whipped up as an illustration. If I were using it in an adventure, I'd have done a proper job.
Also, I'll repeat my previous offer: if anyone has any monsters they particularly want to see, I'll be happy to take a look at them and stat something up for you.
Kyrt-rider is correct, and I evidently need to clarify the wording.
The bonuses were intended to stack.
That said, if your referee is trying a variant in which they don't, roll with it, don't argue with him/her -- just let me know how it works!
Minor movement of some text:
I think a lot can be clarified if we create add the following to the Combat section of Chapter 1:
A number of abilities, notably sneak attack, allow you to hit a vital spot for extra damage, usually expressed as a number of six-sided dice. This additional damage is called “precision damage,” and follows the standard rules outlined here. Unless otherwise noted, precision damage is of the same type as the attack that delivered it. It does not multiply on a critical.
Precision damage applies only against creatures with a discernible anatomy; oozes and elementals are immune, and the fortification ability applies against it. You must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. Normally, you cannot deal precision damage against opponents with concealment. The Blind-Fight feat enables you to deal precision damage in melee against opponents with concealment; the Precise Shot feat allows you to deal ranged precision damage against opponents with concealment, as detailed in the feat descriptions.
Normally, ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within point blank range (normally 30 feet, although the Point-Blank Shot feat can expand this range). As a full attack action, you can make a single ranged sneak attack at any range.
Unless otherwise noted, precision damage stacks.
Now we just spell out that punishing stance, sneak attack, unarmed mastery, and Vital Strike are precision damage, and that [Strike] feats are precision effects. This saves a lot of repeated text like "does not multiply on a critical" and "with a discernible anatomy" and so on.
Monk scaling Sutras, as well as plethora of bonus feats has been negatively received from my group (except perhaps the Monk). Therefore, I have cut many of the sutras in half when scaling to Superior and Sublime. An ability purchased should not be as good as an inherit ability.To make up for the scaling effect, sutras should be gained every 4 levels after the 2nd, not every two; in other words, at 3rd, 7th, etc. (odd levels when the scaling does not occur). I'd meant to change this and somehow missed it; consider it an official erratum. Likewise, as Timeless Body is an advanced sutra, it should not appear on the Monk table.
The text for the sutra ability should be amended as follows:
"At 1st level, you receive knowledge of a sutra, a form of ascetic mastery. You gain an additional sutra at 3rd level, and every 4 class levels thereafter. Sutras are described in Appendix A. Most have effects that scale with your class level, representing steps along your path to self-perfection; improvements occur at levels 5th (Improved Sutra), 9th (Greater Sutra), 13th (Superior Sutra), and 17th (Sublime Sutra), as listed for each sutra. Class synergy effects that apply to the level at which your sutras operate apply towards these improvements."This and other errata for the final mailing are posted under this avatar.
I am assuming this would change how the Aesthetic Druid functions since right now it still gains sutras each even numbered level.
Talonhawke,
Good catch. Yes, it would -- that initiation should provide the following:
Monk Sutras (Su): At 6th and 10th levels, you gain a monk sutra in place of a druidical initiate ability. Your monk levels and druid levels (if any) provide Full synergy for purposes of determining the effects and improvements of these sutras.
Combat Style Feats (Ex): At 8th and again at 12th level, you gain a bonus feat chosen from the list of monk Combat Style feats. Also add the following to the list of options: Adaptability, Beginner's Luck, Chaotic Mind, Nameless. You must meet all prerequisites normally.
Advanced Sutra (Su): At 14th level, you gain an advanced monk sutra in place of a druidical initiate ability.
Rather than individually searching out for posts, perhaps we could compile an errata for easier reference.
Click on The Egg of Coot's name on any of "his" posts. It's a hyperlink that will take you to the compiled errata.
P.S. I love what you did with phantasmal killer. Simply adding another severity step to the [fear] chain is brilliant, even if it sort of messes with the standard 4-rung severity scale.
So, after reading the comments on the marilith in this thread, I wanted to see what I could do with it. The creature below, I think, more accurately matches a CR 17 monster: anyone in melee with the thing pretty much automatically dies if it gets a full attack off. All I did was re-assign feats and spend numen.
CE Large outsider (demon) [chaotic, evil]
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., true seeing; Perception +31
Aura unholy aura (DC 25)
Languages Abyssal; telepathy 100 ft.
AC 47, touch 27, flat-footed 40 (-1 size, +7 Dex, +7 insight, +4 deflection, +15 natural, +5 armor)
hp 264 (16 HD; LW 132/HW 66); 312 with belt (LW 156/HW 78); DR 10/cold iron and good
Immune electricity, poison, precision damage, crits
Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 28
Saves Fort +26, Ref +21, Int +16, Will +21
Spd 40 ft.
Melee +4 scimitar +36/+31/+31/+31 (1d8+21/15–20)
and 5 +1 scimitars +33/+28/+28/+28 (1d8+18/15–20)
and tail slap +28 (2d6+12 plus grab)
Face 5 ft. x 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Base Atk +16; CMB +33 (grapple +39); CMD 43
Special Atks constrict (tail slap; 2d6+10 plus DC 25 Fort or unconscious 1d8 rounds), multiweapon mastery
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 16th)
Constant—magic weapon, true seeing, unholy aura (DC 25)
At will—bless, greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. only; check +12), heightened mage armor
3/day—fly, telekinesis (DC 22, check +16)
1/day—blade barrier (DC 23, check +14), project image (DC 24), summon monster VIII (hezrou)
Attributes Str 25 (31 with belt), Dex 19 (25 with belt), Con 32 (38 with belt), Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 25
Feats Bleeding Strike, Canny Defense, Critical Focus, Flay Foe, Improved Critical (scimitar), Improved Grapple (B), Multiweapon Fighting, Improved Multiweapon Fighting, Permanent Spell (B), Skill Focus (B)(Perception), Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics (16/+23), Bluff (16/+26), Concentration (16/+26), Diplomacy (16/+26), Fly (16/+22), Knowledge (warfare) (16/+23), Perception (16/+31), Stealth (16/+19)
Mojo double (max 150,000; total 145,500) 6 mithral scimitars (6,250 each), belt of physical perfection +6 (108,000) and fortification 100% (80,000), 5,000 gp worth of jewelry
Multiweapon Mastery (Ex) A marilith never takes penalties to her attack roll when fighting with multiple weapons.
The marilith's racial suite of spell-like abilities is as follows: 1st—bless, 2nd—heightened mage armor, 3rd—fly, 4th—extended greater magic weapon, 5th—telekinesis, 6th—blade barrier, 7th—project image, 8th—summon monster VIII (1 hezrou).
Doesn't giving monster magical equipment significantly increase their lethality?
Giving them PC gear increases their CR by +1. Keeping within NPC gear is fair play: for intelligent opponents who would logically have access to equipment, items don't get stored up an anal cavity and just fall out when they die.
Remember, this thing should be an equal match for a party of four 13th level PCs, each with their own gear nearly equal in value to her total -- not including bonded items, crafted gear, etc. To refrain from giving the marilith usable treasure is to massively softball the encounter.
That's a fair point. Thanks.
If precision damage is to be standardized (see above), it probably makes sense to declare that [strikes] are precision effects, so as not to need all the "if you hit an opponent with a discernable anatomy" spelled out every time, and all that. If you do that, though, fortification becomes way too cheap for what it does. I recommend pricing it as an enhancement bonus instead (5% per +1), with a multiplier of 300 numen. Add the following paragraph under "Enhancement Bonuses" in Chapter 6:
Fortification: Each 5% chance to ignore precision damage and additional effects of confirmed crits is treated as a +1 enhancement bonus. Light fortification (25%) therefore costs 52 x 300 = 7,500 numen; 30,000 for moderate (50%) fortification, 67,500 for heavy (75%) fortification, and a maximum of 120,000 numen for 100% fortification (virtual immunity, except when specific feats or talents are applied).
And delete the later paragraph under "feats." The added bonus is that we don't set an awkward precedent of allowing class features as item enhancements, which I was never very happy about to begin with.
I have been considering removing the trait altogether, but a player suggested that it would make a good arcane feat. I’d like to hear your thoughts.
I don't use Pathfinder traits, so I pretty much have no idea what they do; I had to look that one up. I'm not able to find "Arcane Lineage," but I did turn up this one:
Magical Lineage: Pick one spell when you choose this trait. When you apply metamagic feats to this spell, treat its actual level as 1 lower for determining the spell's final adjusted level.
For more than one metamagic feat, this is pretty much already subsumed in the "stacking metamagic" rules, without needing to pick a spell -- so I wouldn't allow it at all for that (Introduction, "Allowing New Material," step 1, IIRC).
That said, I could see maybe making a feat that gives you -1 to the metamagic cost (minimum +1) when applying one metamagic feat only to that spell, if someone really wanted that, but I'm leary of handing out too much free metamagic. If you want that kind of thing, it's better to take levels in straight (generalist) wizard and use the free metamagic class feature that's built in.
Charm person, for example, does not do anything but lower the target’s charisma.
Yep. Lowering the target's Charisma lowers his or her Will saves and opposed Bluff checks, making him easier to control (through Diplomacy or browbeating with Bluff, so a good enchanter will always invest in those skills). When Cha is reduced to 1, that person has the full [charmed] condition until some points are regained.
How exactly does the wild Mage/sorcerers disintegrate damage work from the eldritch just want to know how it affects things like objects and such and if I'm missing it the rules just tell me where.
I have updated my files and PDFs with the errata and am still cool with sharing them to any who PM me their email and whether they'd like PDFs, the editable docs or both.
Several of the Sorcerer Bloodlines have an ability called "Prepare Spell" that allows them to "prepare a spell as a wizard".
What is the advantage of this? Why is a prepared spell better than a spontaneous one?
The original Kirthfinder rules had a Lynchpin feat that tied in with the Amber themed Bloodlines. Is that what this is meant to be?
Several of the Sorcerer Bloodlines have an ability called "Prepare Spell" that allows them to "prepare a spell as a wizard". What is the advantage of this? Why is a prepared spell better than a spontaneous one?
Because your sorcerer can now keep a spellbook and swap out the prepared spell every day, instead of being stuck with it forever. This is a MAJOR benefit, included to provide a rules rationale for the Arcane bloodline to be the default one.
Why not integrate existing spell ranges into mundane weapon ranges?
I seem to remember posting a few pages ago that I'd wanted to do that, but ran out of steam. Ideally, there wouldn't even be "feet" increments, just Adjacent/Close/Medium/Long/Extreme, allowing people to dispense with battlemats entirely. Weapon and spell ranges and Perception penalties and so on would fit on a cute little 5-line table.
The problem I ran into was with tactical movement, and 20 ft. speed vs. 30 ft., for example. Do you just let the 20 ft. guys move from "close" to "adjacent," whereas the 30 ft. guys can go from "medium" to "adjacent"? That ups 30 ft. speed, tactically, to more like 100 ft., which I dislike.
Why not throw Augmented Alchemy, the Grenadier talent and mundane items like Alchemist’s Fire/Frost/Acid out the window and imbue potions into becoming explosives by magic?
Exactly so, and that sort of thing is where I was headed when I intentionally blurred the lines between magic and Craft in the enhancement bonus rules in Chapter 6. An acid flask with a 10'r. burst would be something like ray of frost + Versatile Evocation (cold to acid; +0 levels) + Shape Spell (ray to burst; +3 levels) + Widen Spell (20'r. to 5'r., -2 levels) = 1d6 acid/level (max 5d6), with a default of CL 1st as you noted. The cost would be the same as for any other 1st level potion (50 gp). And, yes, you'd use Craft (alchemy) in place of Spellcraft.
How exactly does the wild Mage/sorcerers disintegrate damage work from the eldritch just want to know how it affects things like objects and such and if I'm missing it the rules just tell me where.
Good question, especially because there's no energy type of "disintegration" that people get resistance to. I'd provisionally treat it as negative energy damage, with the caveat that people killed (or objects detroyed) get turned to dust.
I have updated my files and PDFs with the errata and am still cool with sharing them to any who PM me their email and whether they'd like PDFs, the editable docs or both.
My apologies folks, I forgot to update the table on the Monk to reflect the delayed gaining of Sutras in the errata.